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The human brain is the center of the human nervous system and is a highly complex organ. Enclosed in the cranium, it has the same general structure as the brains of other mammals, but is over three times as large as the brain of a typical mammal with an equivalent body size.

Scientists find altering hormone levels change cellular development in brain

In a study that increases the understanding of the link between fetal development and obesity later in life, researchers at Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (LA BioMed) found altering the levels of two common hormones, insulin and leptin, in utero changes the cellular development in the region of the brain that regulates appetite.

23 Jun 2011

Simple non-invasive breath test could accurately detect vitamin B12 deficiency

Researchers have developed a new test to detect the levels of vitamin B12 using your breath, allowing for a cheaper, faster, and simpler diagnosis that could help to avoid the potentially fatal symptoms of B12 deficiency.

23 Jun 2011

No reason to move on bicycle helmet laws: Study

Bicycle-related head injuries fell significantly in the months after mandatory helmet legislation came into effect in NSW, and recent calls for a repeal of the laws should be rejected, new research based on hospital admissions data shows.

22 Jun 2011

Barrow Neurological Institute announces Phoenix Children’s Hospital as new pediatric affiliate

St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center and Phoenix Children’s Hospital jointly announced today their pediatric neuroscience programs are combining under the newly formed Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

22 Jun 2011

Scientists uncover novel mechanism linked to Spinocerebellar ataxia 7

A team of scientists, led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, have uncovered a novel mechanism regulating gene expression and transcription linked to Spinocerebellar ataxia 7, an inherited neurological disorder.

22 Jun 2011

Researchers identify natural mechanism linked with Huntington's disease

Johns Hopkins researchers have identified a natural mechanism that might one day be used to block the expression of the mutated gene known to cause Huntington's disease.

22 Jun 2011

UC Riverside research could lead to novel therapeutics for epileptic seizures

Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have made a discovery in the lab that could help drug manufacturers develop new antiepileptic drugs and explore novel strategies for treating seizures associated with epilepsy - a disease affecting about two million Americans.

22 Jun 2011

Researchers identify potential cause of hereditary, progressive blindness

Medics at the RUB have found the cause of hereditary, progressive blindness: they have identified the previously unknown protein CCDC66, the loss of which initially leads to night blindness and in due course usually results in complete blindness.

22 Jun 2011

Nine young clinical investigators earn recognition from Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation

The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation named five new Damon Runyon Clinical Investigators at its spring 2011 Clinical Investigator Award Committee review.

22 Jun 2011

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics receives U.S. patent for cancer vaccine technology

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd., a biotechnology company focused on the development of novel immune-based cancer therapies, announced the issuance of a U.S. patent relating to a technology for the treatment of cancer for which the Company holds an exclusive, worldwide license.

22 Jun 2011

Exercise helps overcome side effects of cancer, improves survival

Brain cancer patients who are able to exercise live significantly longer than sedentary patients, scientists at the Duke Cancer Institute report.

22 Jun 2011

Research focuses on how marijuana affects decision-making process

Smoking marijuana affects peoples' impulsivity, attention, memory, cognition and decision-making abilities. That's been scientifically proven.

22 Jun 2011

Experts to discuss science and clinical management of vasospasm at Cincinnati conference

Cerebrovascular experts from around the world will gather in Cincinnati next month to discuss the science and clinical management of vasospasm, a dreaded, life-threatening complication of subarachnoid hemorrhage, while working toward an ambitious goal.

22 Jun 2011

Caffeinated coffee boosts blood GCSF levels, protects against Alzheimer's

A yet unidentified component of coffee interacts with the beverage's caffeine, which could be a surprising reason why daily coffee intake protects against Alzheimer's disease.

22 Jun 2011

TESARO secures $101M in Series B financing

TESARO, Inc., an oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company, today announced that it has secured $101 million in a Series B financing to advance and expand the Company's cancer product portfolio.

21 Jun 2011

Seaside Therapeutics commences STX209 Phase 2b study in autism spectrum disorders

Seaside Therapeutics, Inc. announced today the initiation of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2b study to evaluate the effects of STX209 (arbaclofen) on social impairment in children, adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorders.

21 Jun 2011

EC grants marketing authorization to BYDUREON for treatment of type 2 diabetes

Eli Lilly and Company, together with Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Alkermes, Inc., announced today that the European Commission has granted marketing authorization to BYDUREON.

21 Jun 2011

NextGen launches first CSF multiplex protein assay for detecting CNS diseases

NextGen Group plc is pleased to announce that its US-subsidiary NextGen Sciences Inc, a leader in biomarker discovery, measurement and qualification, has launched its first cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) multiple protein assay, csfdiscovery43, for central nervous system (CNS) biomarker discovery and qualification.

21 Jun 2011

Rocking allows for better sleep – even in insomniac adults!

A new study shows that people tend to sleep faster and even achieve better quality sleep if they are gently swayed. The findings may explain why parents instinctively rock babies to sleep, and why we find it so easy to nod off when slumped in a rocking chair, they add

21 Jun 2011

First Australian clinic to exclusively diagnose and treat fetal alcohol spectrum disorders

Australia will soon have its first screening and diagnostic service for children with alcohol-related birth defects. The service is being set up by The Children's Hospital at Westmead in Sydney amid concerns that thousands of Australian children are suffering from fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). The disorders are triggered in unborn babies exposed to alcohol consumed by their mothers and are the most common, preventable cause of disabilities and brain damage in children.

21 Jun 2011